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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26498104">Flannels (And Fingernail Polish)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/RumbleFish14/pseuds/RumbleFish14'>RumbleFish14</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shameless (US)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Family Bonding, Family Drama, Family Feels, Girl Power, Shameless, Shopping, Uncle-Niece Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 12:28:18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,384</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26498104</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/RumbleFish14/pseuds/RumbleFish14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Debbie dumps Franny on Mickey for the day</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ian Gallagher/Mickey Milkovich</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>217</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Flannels (And Fingernail Polish)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Saw that cute ass pic of them and couldn't help myself</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Flannels (And Fingernail Polish)<br/>
One shot</p><p> </p><p>"You cannot just leave me here with her, peppermint pattie. " Mickey growled under his breath but beneath that you could hear his fear. "I don't care if the goddamn world is on fire. I'm not qualified."</p><p>Debbie rolled her eyes and headed towards the door, purse in one hand, face mask in the other. "Will you relax, please? Before that vein in the side of your head pops. I'm not asking you to solve world hunger or find the cure for cancer."</p><p>Mickey looked back, eyes roaming the kitchen area. By the time he looked back, Debbie was halfway out the front door. "Goddamn it, Debbie!" He hauled ass after her and caught her arm before she moved down the steps. "I said no."</p><p>"Yeah, and?" Debbie jerked her arm away and glanced at her watch. "Look, I know this Gallagher shit is new for you, but this is how it works. We all pitch in, we all work, we all look after the kids. Like a family."</p><p>He rolled his eyes so hard he thought they fell out the backside of his head. "I'm well aware of what the Gallagher's do, Debbie. But I literally just joined the goddamned family. Cut me a break."</p><p>"Fine, I'll stay here and you go to work for me." Debbie said with almost as much snark as Mickey. She offered her purse and the face mask in her hand. "I'd rather stay here."</p><p>God, why was she being so fucking dramatic? It had to be a Gallagher family trait. And not just the women, but all of them. Especially his husband, who had been zero help this morning when Debbie came at him in full force. </p><p>And considering he had no way of knowing exactly what Debbie did for work, there was no way in hell he would just jump into it. That left him back where he first started, staying home. </p><p>"Yeah, that's what I thought." Debbie smiled and cut back on the snark for a moment. "Look, it's not that hard, okay?"</p><p>Mickey glanced back again and this time the object of their current squabble was standing in the doorway, watching him.</p><p>"She knows what she can have and what she can't have. She can make her own food up to a point and knows how to work the TV. All you have to do is make sure she doesn't leave the house alone or hurt herself."</p><p>"I guess showing her how to assemble and disassemble a gun is out." He said sarcastically, with another roll of his eyes. "Even though that's a good skill to have."</p><p>"Yeah, maybe in a year or so." Debbie dug into her purse and pulled out a handful of money. "Take this. You guys can get out and have lunch when you take her shopping."</p><p>His eyes widened cosmically large. "Say what now?"</p><p>"I'm gonna be late, Mickey." Debbie moved down the steps. "You agreed last night to watch her. To take her shopping before school, remember?"</p><p>Had he said that? It couldn't be. The only thing he remembered last night was a mind blowing round of sex with Ian, drinking way more than he was supposed to and passing out halfway in Ian's lap. When had she asked him?</p><p>This was a fucking disaster. </p><p>"She knows her sizes, you have the money. Just stop whining and do it." Debbie waved as her ride pulled up. "Thanks, Mickey."</p><p>"Didn't give me a fucking choice!" He yelled back but she was already in the car with the doors closed. He flipped her off as it sped away and slumped his way back into the house. "Awesome. Just trust me with a kid like I have some fucking experience. Great idea, red." </p><p>Talking to himself didn't help. Curing out Debbie and flipping her off didn't help either but it made him feel better for about five seconds before he realized he was actually in charge of something. Something alive and under the age of seventeen...he had no idea what he was doing.</p><p>"Uncle Mickey?"</p><p>In an instant, the majority of his affrication melted away. As much as he disliked being in charge of kids, --not including Liam all those years ago-- that uncle Mickey thing had a nice ring to it. </p><p>He looked up and Franny was standing in front of him. She really did look like a shrunken version of Debbie, --he wasn't sure if that was a good thing or no, tho. She looked calm but expectant. </p><p>"What's up, kid?" </p><p>"Are we going out today like mommy said?"</p><p>"I suppose so. It's not like we have fuc--" he paused before it all came out and she started walking around the house saying 'fuck'. "Uh, yeah, I guess."</p><p>Her smile shouldn't have made him want to return it. But it did. She smiled that happy, carefree smile that only children have. </p><p>"Can we go now?"</p><p>Mickey glanced down at his ratty sweats and Ian's borrowed shirt. "I need to get ready first."</p><p>She nodded and was halfway up the stairs before she spoke. "Me too!!"</p><p>With a grumpy, almost fond laugh, Mickey hauled himself up after her. He could hear her rooting around in her room. He went to theirs, ditching the sweats for a pair of jeans and the borrowed shirt for one of his own. He grabbed a flannel shirt, one with the sleeves cut off and shrugged that on over it. He added his boots, grabbed the skull themed face mask off the dresser and moved down the hallway.</p><p>"You ready, kid?" Mickey asked, lightly knocking on the door. </p><p>"Not yet!" Franny answered back. "Make up is next."</p><p>Make up, Mickey mouthed. Scrunching his eyebrows in slight irritation but more curiosity, he opened the door with his foot. She was sitting at a pink desk with a thing of nail polish in one hand and a brush in the other. </p><p>"This is getting ready?" He asked when he realized that she hadn't changed her clothes after all. Which he assumed is what she meant. </p><p>"Yeah, the other stuff was chipping away." Franny held up her other hand to show. "Need to do my makeup next."</p><p>Girls. He would never understand. </p><p>"Maybe this can wait until we get back." Mickey said and regretted it a moment after when her red eyebrows narrowed. With a sigh, he knew he'd end up waiting. "Fine, hurry up."</p><p>He leans against the door frame with his arms crossed. He didn't watch, but looked over the alarming amount of pink in the room. Not just her stuff, but Debbie's too. It looked like someone shook up a giant bottle of Pepto and let it explode all over the place. </p><p>Franny seemed content, taking her time. She finished with one hand, blew on it until it was dry, then switched hands and did the same thing. The color was barely there, a light shade of pink and hardly even showed up. </p><p>"It's too light." Franny huffed and propped her chin up on her palm.</p><p>"It looks fine." Mickey assured with a smile. It didn't work. Franny just sighed, pouting. "Maybe we can do another color when we get back."</p><p>"But I wanted it done now."</p><p>She sounded like Ian when he didn't get what he wanted, when he wanted it. Saying that, he didn't know much about Franny --he'd been gone or locked up most of her life-- but he knew Ian well enough to realize this wouldn't stop until she got what she wanted.</p><p>"Alright, try another color but the makeup thing might have to wait."</p><p>Franny smiled and moved to the neat row of polish, trying to pick a color. "They all look too light."</p><p>"Yeah, they do." He agreed as he leaned down and thumbed at the bottles. "Next time try another color besides pink."</p><p>Franny looked up at him. "But that's my favorite color."</p><p>Of course it was. "Yeah, but unless you get a hot pink color, it'll all be pretty Iight."</p><p>She considered that for a moment and he could almost see the little hamster running on its wheel in her mind. She looked from pink to pink, trying to choose, then pushed them all way a huff and her palm found its way back under her chin.</p><p>Just like Ian, a little pouter. Good thing he was used to that by now or this might have been a little scary. </p><p>"Okay, maybe your mom has some, hmm?" Mickey said as he moved to Debbie's cluttered dresser.</p><p>He scanned the top, seeing pinks and reds, blues...all which seemed too flashy. He opened a drawer, saw a flash of a bra and shut it with a grimace and moved to the next one. He found a black jar of polish hidden in the back. </p><p>"Black," Mickey turned and wiggled it at her. She smiled, clapping her hands excitedly. "Nail polish is for chicks, or really, really gay guys…"</p><p>Franny cut him off. "Aren't you gay?"</p><p>He quirked an eyebrow. "Yeah, but I'm not THAT gay, ya know. There are different levels, red."</p><p>"So, like uncle Ian gay then?"</p><p>Mickey snorted out a laugh. "Yeah, like uncle Ian. He used to wear nail polish and make up and glittery shorts." She made a face. "Yeah, I didn't mind the shorts too much but the rest...no go for me."</p><p>He shook up the polish and cracked open the dry seal and handed it over.</p><p>"Your aunt Mandy likes to wear back nail polish too." Mickey made himself smile, seeing her head to toe in black. Make up, clothes, polish, shoes. "Black is an all around color."</p><p>Nail after little nail was painted back. It looked a little harsh for a little girl to have, especially when all she wanted was pink, but her smile was everything because it was actually dark enough to show up. She did one hand, blew on the wet polish, then did the same to the other hand. When she was done, she held them out to him for inspection. </p><p>He gripped both hands, --noticing the harshness between his rough, tatted up knuckles to her soft, smooth ones-- tilted each to get a good look and let go. "That looks much better. Bet you'll be the only one at school with black polish."</p><p>Franny grinned. "I hope so. Then everyone will wanna see and ask their uncles for the same thing."</p><p>Happy butterflies fluttered in his belly again. His heart may or may not have grew a little too. She was making him the softie Ian always said he was. </p><p>"Just remember you have the best one." Mickey said but then held his hand up. "Not Lip or Carl or Ian. Just me."</p><p>"What about Liam?"</p><p>He thought about it a second before he nodded. "Yeah, just Liam and I."</p><p>"If you're gonna be cool, you need some too." She wiggled the bottle at him. </p><p>Mickey shook his head. "Nope, not for me, red."</p><p>"Please? Then we can match." Franny smiled brightly, using every ounce of her charm on him and it worked. </p><p>Mickey already said yes in his mind. Simply because she was too damn cute and he kinda wanted to be one of the cool uncles. Ones that actually played with their husbands sisters spawn. Instead of just shooing them away. </p><p>With Liam, it had been trucks and army men --whatever was leftover from Carl and his destructive days-- and comic books. Way better than the girl stuff. But Franny was a girl and he liked her enough to put up with a little girl time. </p><p>"Fine." Mickey conceded with a groan, one that was as dramatic as it felt because she giggled. He put his rough hands on her little pink table. "Don't mess it up tho. If I'm wearing this shit it better look good."</p><p>Franny gripped one finger at a time, concentrating. "Shit is a bad word. Mommy said so."</p><p>Mickey grinned. "Yeah, shit is bad but there are always worse ones. Your mommy cusses more than I do, by the way."</p><p>Franny didn't reply. She was too busy doing an expert job on his nails, if he said so himself. She didn't make it too thick, or sloppy, or paint parts of his skin. And it didn't take her long either. She was blowing on them before he noticed she was done. </p><p>"How's that look?" Franny asked, her eyes hopeful. </p><p>Mickey studied them. It was kinda gay, but black made it seem less gay then pink would. And it looked good, better than he could ever do. And maybe people would look at them when they went out, give him odd looks but that was nothing new. More to the point, she liked it, which was somehow all he needed to like it. </p><p>"You did good, red." Mickey bumped her elbow with his until she giggled. "Ready now?"</p><p>Franny looked in the mirror and smoothed out her shirt, then did a little twirl. Mickey smiled. </p><p>"Yeah, all ready."</p><p>"Good, me too." He ushered her out of her room and down the stairs. "Let's get this shit over with." Franny lightly slapped his arm and gave him a look. A Debbie look. He felt a chill go down his spine. He rolled his eyes but nodded. "Just get in the car, yeah?"</p><p>"Can I ride in the front?" Franny asked, skipping to the door. </p><p>Mickey ran after her, looking both ways on the empty street just because. He wouldn't hesitate to murder anyone who went over 25 while she was that close to the road. "No, back seat. In your damn booster seat."</p><p>She huffed a little but got in without an argument. He buckled her up, then got in the driver's seat and instantly locked the doors, then the windows and adjusted the rear view mirror so he was looking directly at her. She smiled again. </p><p>"Okay, food first or clothes?" Mickey asked and pulled into the street. </p><p>"Clothes, cuz I'll be hungry after."</p><p>"Alright, red. Clothes first."</p><p>**</p><p>Nearly two hours later, an entire trunk full of clothes and two bags from Burger King, they pulled up into the driveway of the Gallagher house. </p><p>It hadn't been as bad as he thought it would be. She knew her sizes, just as Debbie said she did and picked out outfit after outfit until they hit their budget. She got a few pairs of shoes as well, some pink of course but he made sure she got at least one pair of black boots, just because. She liked them because the buckle was a rose, a glittery rose.</p><p>He could live with that. </p><p>For a little girl, she didn't have bad taste. That wasn't their issue. The issue was with the woman who checked them out and assumed Mickey was her dad. Franny was there to correct her in an instant. Saying she didn't have a dad and he was her coolest uncle. </p><p>Mickey couldn't stop smiling. Especially not when Franny's snark matched his own. He was ready to reach across the counter and strangle that woman for pissing off the little Gallagher. But Franny handled it with a smile that was the polite version of a 'fuck you', grabbed her bags and off they went. </p><p>They ordered just about one of everything on the menu. Mickey hated Burger King and had the guts to tell her he hated it and she was determined to change his mind. Ordering one of everything was to ensure he tasted it all before saying he hated it. </p><p>Once again, she proved him wrong. Mickey ate some double decker burger piled high with extra onions...hold the mayo because after prison he just flat out refused. And like a Gallagher, she teased him over it, mostly with that smug smile. </p><p>They finished the last few words to Dr. Feelgood by Motley Crue; probably something Debbie would kill him over but he had rules for music. No way was he listening to whatever Disney Princess CD Debbie left him with. Fuck that. </p><p>Franny didn't seem to mind. She didn't know the words, obviously but still swayed back and forth while he sang along all the way to the house. </p><p>Once they got all the bags inside and laid them all over the living room, Mickey took a seat and let her rearrange them how she wanted them. Picking out outfits for certain days, with specific shoes. Girls...well, not really. Ian did the same shit. It all had to match. </p><p>He was simple. Jeans, shirt, belt, boots. Easy. As long as it was clean, he could work it. </p><p>"Uncle Mickey?" </p><p>Without opening his eyes, he gave a little hum. "Hmm?"</p><p>"Can we cut these to match yours?"</p><p>When he did open his eyes, she was holding out three flannel shirts with sleeves. Two pink ones and one red and white one --ones that he may or may not have grabbed when she wasn't looking--. He sat forward and studied them. </p><p>"I don't think your mom would like me cutting up your brand new shirts."</p><p>"You do it." She pointed out. </p><p>"Well, she ain't my mom and can't tell me to do jack shit." She huffed again at the curse word and he  smiled. "Why you wanna cut them anyway?"</p><p>Franny shrugged and didn't meet his eyes. "Just wanted it to look like yours."</p><p>With a smile that could only be classified as endearing, Mickey dug into his pocket and pulled out his knife. "Just remember it was all your idea when she beats our asses."</p><p>Franny gave a smile that reminded him of Mandy when she was little. One that he knew would likely be the reason they would both be in trouble. One that he had a soft spot for. </p><p>"She should have thought of that when she promised to take me today and didn't." Franny quickly pulled on one shirt and walked up to him. "I think we'll be okay."</p><p>He snorted out a laugh so hard it made him cough, and grab his side. It even made tears come to his eyes. He flipped open his knife and she didn't even flinch. Not then, or when you grabbed one sleeve firmly in his hand and slit it with the knife. </p><p>"I think I'm beginning to like you, red. Cut off the sleeves, stuff your feet into those black boots and you might just make it."</p><p>Franny patted his shoulder with her other hand. "I'll make it no matter what, uncle Mickey. I'm a Gallagher. Or at least that's what mommy keeps saying."</p><p>It was clear that she didn't quite understand what that meant, but he did. Others did and eventually she would. But even if she wasn't a Gallagher, he knew no matter what happened, he wouldn't let anything happen to her.</p><p>It went further than 'I married your uncle.' It was family, it was love. </p><p>"Don't worry, Franny." Mickey used her name for the first time and her eyes sparkled in that similar way Ian's had when he used his first name. "You'll make it. We'll make sure of it."</p><p>The sleeves were cut, her pale ass arms were bare and freckled and her smile was unlike anything he'd ever seen before. She lifted each arm, inspecting it, then stood beside him and lined their arms up. </p><p>"Like it?" Mickey asked, hiding his smile. </p><p>Franny nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck in a surprise hug. "I love it. Thank you, uncle Mickey."</p><p>For a moment he just sat there, his arms still down at his sides while she hugged him. She was small and soft and kinda smelled like strawberries, she hugged him as if he was really her uncle, like Ian or Lip was. Like she actually liked him. It wasn't until she squeezed a little that he hugged her back. One handed because he still held his opened knife, but he gripped her with his other hand and held her too. </p><p>"You're welcome, kid." Mickey said back, kinda getting a little choked up if he was being honest.</p><p>One day of girl related activities had him going soft. He was okay with soft, but only around Ian. Maybe now around her too.</p>
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